Is Colonization a Racist and Immoral Game?

[bohemus]

My apologies if this has been posted before but I didn't see this thread anywhere on the forum already.

A video game blogger has accused Colonization of being immoral because of the setting and themes, historical overtones, etc. HHere is an article about it. I believe Firaxis and 2K were even compelled to make a statement.

Here is the full URL:
http://blackenheimer.com/sid_meier_civilization_racist_colonization_260608

[Will9]

The link says the page isn't found

[patcon]

Originally posted by Will
The link says the page isn't found

If you look under recent posts it's there.
Tried to put a more direct link, but it still took you to the main page.

[ProfessorPhobos]

You could make that argument about any historical game. Civilization IV features slavery and police states. You had terrorism in Civilization 2.

[fani]

on my top 10 list of things that make someone a racist Civ Colon is not on the list...

[Addled Platypus]

both not found ???

[Tattila the Hun]

Pst, I played an FPS set in WW2, and they had nazis in it. What an outrage!

No KZ-camps, though.

Eh, that guy lost my interest at "and it wasn't even that good"...

Then again, the variety blog is mind-bogling... He should be that upset about Civ. Wars, burning, raping, pillaging, slavery... Ho cares about colonizing... Which you can also do...

But say, what's this? I seemed to recall the original Colonization was done with Civ1-engine, this screenshot looks like it came from Civ3 with less colors? Well, the interface looks like it...



Well hah, that Blackenheimer-guy didn't bother to do his game-specific research... Freecol, eh?

[guermantes]

Well, you get a little bit too sensitive people in all fields of advocacy...

PS. the links have a [space] before 'sid' that's why they don't work...

[wodan11]

Fixed link

http://blackenheimer.com/sid_meier_civilization_racist_colonization_260608

[jkp1187]

Is Colonization a Racist and Immoral Game?

Isn't that why we're looking forward to it?



(Joke! It's a damned joke people, relax! Jeez....)

[TriMiro]

Some people are just ridiculous. If Colonization is racist, then Civ is Nazi. Everything evil in Col is also in Civ and then some more. It is not "morally right" or "morally wrong" those are simply historical facts. Wasn't there are saying that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it?

Anyone who thinks Civ or Col are racist is out of their mind.

[Theben]

I seem to recall this argument the 1st time Colonization came out.

[Verrucosus]

I agree that in this regard there is no difference between Colonization and Civilization or any other empire building game for that matter. It is possible to enjoy and indeed celebrate the epic stories of a band of settlers turning into a modern Civilization or of a handful of colonists creating a new society on a continent (or alien planet) far from home without conceding that the atrocities committed along the road were somehow "a price worth paying".

The original Colonization manual says: "The cruelty of the Europeans towards the Native Americans is infamous and regretted." (p. 113)

That should go without saying, but if there is a historical background section in the Colonization II manual, it will be the appropriate place to state the obvious. I can do without another "we don't want to offend anyone" insert like "Religion in this Game" in the Civ4 manual.

[Proteus_MST]

Considering the fact that in Rome Total War it is a rather "normal" approach to raze conquered cities or turn part of the population therein into slaves and that in Medieval Total War 2 you will often get to kill all the POWs you made on the battlefield, one wonders why this guy doesn´t protest the Total War series.
Same goes for Europa Universalis where you can merciless slaughter the american natives, to have lesws resistance and to have an easier time to convert the natives to your christian faith. Colonization is truelly harmless if you compare it to EU.

As it was already said, it is normal for empire building games with a historic background to also include not so moral things, just because they were there at the time the game plays in. And, speaking of colonization, everything depends on the approach the player has to the game. It is well possible to live in friendship side by side with the natives, without doing any harm to them and having peaceful trade relations.

[wodan11]

You have to admit Colonization is different from those others, because the negative connotation is quite literally the name of the game.